Rui Gonçalves da Câmara II

Rui Gonçalves da Câmara (c. 1490 - a 20 October 1535), was the son of João Rodrigues da Câmara and successor to the Donatary-Captaincy of the island of São Miguel in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores.

Biography Early life Rui Gonçalves studied in Lisbon, at Corte, where his father maintained important connections. During his stay, he was informed of the untimely death of his father: he was eleven years at the time of his death. Owing to his age, the administration of the captaincy of São Miguel was assumed by his uncle Pedro Rodrigues da Câmara until 1504. Meanwhile, in 1503, King D. Manuel I named a Corregedor (magistrate) to the Azores, with legal, tax and inspection powers over local authorities, ostensibly eliminating the absolute authority of the donatary-captains.

Donatário Achieving age of majority in 1504 (two years following his father's death), he assumed the captaincy of the island. Shortly after arriving in São Miguel, his mother and siblings were lost at sea during a voyage to Lisbon: the ship was lost. They had begun a small shelter, supported by local donations, and Rui decided to support the sisters, going as far as petitioning the Pope for a bull to establishment a convent (Convent of Santo André in Vila Franca do Campo, moving his family to the location and ordering remodelling of the buildings.

Later life By the time of his grandson's birth (Rui III), Rui da Câmara had transferred his residence to the road later known as Rua do Conde, which was renamed following the title bestowed on the Câmara family (during the Philippine Union).

The captain, with financial problems and personal heartbreaks, died in Ponta Delgada on 20 October 1535, and was buried in the Convent of Nossa Senhora da Esperança.